The Boy in The Doorway
by nekosammy14
Summary: This was originally for a school project, but I decided against it. This ficlet is based off a photo in the Q&A section of the book.


The boy in the door way.

As I sat with my father at the bar of the Priest Hole, the regulars were talking about a strange new residence in Carinholm. "I'm tellin' ya," said one

of the regulars, "that kid's got a screw loose in his head, he does!" I looked at the bartender, who was leaned over the counter, clearly into the conversation.

"Aaah,shut it. Kid's probably just shy." The group murmured in agreement with the bartender. I looked back at my dad, his beer glass half-empty. "Did you see

this kid, dad?" He shook his head. "I've been too busy studying the birds on this island, that I haven't really took notice of any new faces." I slumped in my chair.

For all I know, that kid could be a peculiar... or a wight. I shivered at that thought. Just then, the door to the pub had opened. I hesitated to look, but when I did,

it was the boy. He just stood there, a blank expression on his face. "Eh, can I help you?" the bartender asked nervously. Again, he just stood there, his small

chest rising and falling. I looked at his eyes- he had pupils- and I felt myself relax. _The only way to find out if you're dealing with a wight_ I recalled Miss Peregrine

telling me _is if they have no pupils to be seen._I was relieved that he wasn't a wight, but something about him rubbed me the wrong way. His face was too dour

for, what I'm assuming to be, a 6-year-old boy. He must've seen something awful. Perhaps his parents had just died, and he was trying to deal with it in his own

way. But, then again, how would he have gotten to this island? Grandparents, probably. Then, the boy opened his mouth, as if to speak, but shut it immediately.

Now, I probably just imagined this, but I could've sworn that I saw something in the boy's mouth. Just as suddenly as he came, he left. I told my dad that I was

going to follow him; to find out what he's all about. He strongly advised me against it, but knew he couldn't stop me.

I quietly followed the boy to his home. It wasn't luxurious in the least bit, but it was apparently home to him. He looked around, seeing if anyone

had followed him. I ducked behind a bush that was nearby, before he could see me. Seeing that the coast was clear, he entered, shutting the door behind him. I

crept up to the house, my sneakers crunching the rocks as I walked. I stared at the doorknob for a moment, considering what the repercussions would be if I

opened the door. There were more pros than cons, so, I opened the door, which, to my surprise, was unlocked, as if he were expecting me. The interior was quiet

nice. To the left of me was a kitchen, complete with a stove, fridge, and a sink. Cooking utensils lined the wall above the stove. The wall itself had tiles, and on

those tiles were little cows jumping over a crescent moon. To my right, a living room. The living room had a cherry red couch, two black loveseats, and a rocking

chair. The carpet below all of it was a mish-mash of patterns, looking more like a quilt than a carpet. On either side of the room were bookshelves. To the side of

the bookshelves were books that didn't quite fit inside the bookshelves. The windows were dingy, that were covered by closed curtains. In front of me was a

staircase, and another hallway. I went up the stairs where I found three rooms. One looked like an office. Another, looked like a master bedroom. Finally, came

the last room, the little boys. I opened the door, slowly but surely, to discover the boy sitting in the center of the room. The room looked very different from the

rest of the house. Instead of bright and cheery, it was dusty and dark. "Hello?" I said, after a moment. The boy slowly turned. I saw his mouth open, a snake

where his tongue should be. The snake began to open his mouth, and he spoke, "This was the home of the Karrings." Was? "What happened to them?" "This

boy was turned away from his parents because of his peculiarity." My face turned sad. He was left behind? The gears in my head began to turn, and I came up

with an idea. "Come with me, I know someone who will take you in, no questions asked." The snake looked confused, then scoffed. "You don't think we haven't

searched for a place like that?" I smiled. "Well, this place is different. It is filled with kids, just like you, with even more peculiar talents. Olive can float, Emma

can start fires with her hand, Fiona-" I was disrupted by the sound of crying. The boy held his hands to his face. "I don't understand, why are you insisting on

helping me?" "Because Miss Peregrine will understand, as will all the other children. They will welcome you with open arms." He stood up and walked up to me

and hugged me. "Thank you..." He packed his things, and we headed for the children's home.

When he was all settled, the children crowded around him, asking what he could do. He opened his mouth, for the first time, without fear. The children

all stared in amazement. I smiled. Miss Peregrine came up behind me. "Seems like his doing just fine, now. He simply needed the warm embrace of a family,

which I will happily provide. Thank you Jacob, for bringing me little Charlie." I nodded, smiling. Hopefully, he'll stay here for a long time, in a place where the day

is always before doomsday.


End file.
